Be Careful - There are Thieves about.

You may be careful about locking your doors and windows, andkeeping your personal papers in a secure place.But, depending on what you use your personal computer for, anidentity thief may not need to set foot in your house to stealyour personal information. Financial records, tax returns, birthdates, and bank account numbers may be stored in your computer-- a goldmine to an identity thief. The following tips can helpyou keep your computer and your personal information safe.Update your virus protection software regularly, or when a newvirus alert is announced. Computer viruses can have a variety ofdamaging effects, including introducing program code that causesyour computer to send out files or other stored information. Beon the alert for security repairs and patches that you candownload from your operating system's Web site. Do not downloadfiles sent to you by strangers or click on hyperlinks frompeople you don't know. Opening a file could expose your systemto a computer virus or a program that could hijack your modem.Use a firewall program, especially if you use a high-speedInternet connection like cable, DSL or T-1, which leaves yourcomputer connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. The firewallprogram will allow you to stop uninvited guests from accessingyour computer. Without it, hackers can take over your computerand access your personal information stored on it or use it tocommit other crimes. Use a secure browser -- software thatencrypts or scrambles information you send over the Internet --to guard the security of your online

transactions. Be sure yourbrowser has the most up-to-date encryption capabilities by usingthe latest version available from the manufacturer. You also candownload some browsers for free over the Internet. Whensubmitting information, look for the "lock" icon on thebrowser's status bar to be sure your information is secureduring transmission. Try not to store financial information onyour laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a strongpassword -- a combination of letters (upper and lowers case),numbers and symbols. Don't use an automatic log-in feature whichsaves your user name and password so you don't have to enterthem each time you log-in or enter a site. And always log offwhen you're finished. That way, if your laptop gets stolen, it'sharder for the thief to access your personal information. Beforeyou dispose of a computer, delete personal information. Deletingfiles using the keyboard or mouse commands may not be enoughbecause the files may stay on the computer's hard drive, wherethey may be easily retrieved. Use a "wipe" utility program tooverwrite the entire hard drive. It makes the filesunrecoverable. Look for Web site privacy policies. They answerquestions about maintaining accuracy, access, security, andcontrol of personal information collected by the site, as wellas how information will be used, and whether it will be providedto third parties. If you don't see a privacy policy, considersurfing elsewhere.

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